Eternal Flame
by Mistress of Darkness
Summary: At first Celena remembers nothing of the passed 10 years, but soon her memory returns, and although everyone else is unaware, Dilandau is only just below the surface.


This is a story about what happened to Celena and Dilandau after the destiny war. After all, Dilandau-sama can never die, so long as Celena exists. By the way, I'm sure everyone knows this, but just to make it clear, I do not own Escaflowne, or any of the original characters that appear in the series, manga or movie. Now that that's over with, enjoy!   
  
P.S., please review whether you like it or not.   
  
ETERNAL FLAME - CHAPTER ONE: VOICES  
  
Written By Mistress of Darkness  
  
--Red, the 12th Moon,  
  
It has been only a month since I have returned to this place that I once called home. I find it funny that the place I missed so much in those dark times of my childhood, seems so strange to me now. Perhaps because it is so empty now with my mother gone. My brother said that she died shortly after I got sick. That's how he refers to it; that I was sick and in a coma. But I know the truth. It's true, I didn't remember at first, but I do now, even though I've not told him. I remember the day the sorcerer's came and stole me away from our field, and the horrible experiments they performed on me in their laboratories beneath Zaibach. I also remember him. That boy, Dilandau. My brother must think he's gone forever, never coming back. But the truth is, he's not gone. I can here him sometimes; he talks to me. Trust me, he can be very opinionated. And then sometimes he's so sad, and I can feel him in the depths of my mind. I wish that I could comfort him, after all, he is still only a child, much like myself. I don't want to tell brother that my memories have returned, for he would worry and probably confine me to the house. Not that he doesn't keep close tabs on me now anyway, but I fear the little freedom he allows me would be lost if he knew the truth. He thinks that I don't remember any of the time I was gone, and still treats me as if I were six. But I have lived, and I am just as mature as I should be. He must fear that I'd be blamed for war-crimes, even though he'd never say anything for fear of giving me clues that his story about my coma was a lie. But even I know that the soldiers who participated in the Destiny War would not be punished. After all, in the end they concluded that people from all sides fought, and they were all guilty of the same crimes, and thus they were forgiven. I'd best turn off my night lamp now, Allen usually checks on me about this time.   
  
Celena Schezzar. --  
  
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Celena shut her diary quietly and blew out the lantern, setting it beside her bed and pretending to be asleep as footsteps could be heard in the hall. Her bedroom door opened slightly and Allen poked his head in to check on his little sister. The poor girl had not remembered anything after the time she was kidnapped, but she had accepted the fact that she was no longer 6 years old, and instead she acted like a lady.   
  
He closed the door and continued on his walk of the corridors. He had told her that she had fallen sick, and had been in a coma for the last nine years. He felt bad about lying to her, but he couldn't tell her the truth. He didn't want any possibility of Dilandau returning, and as long as she didn't know, he would not surface.   
  
Poor Celena was so delicate, a true lady. She was 15, old enough to make her own choices and to leave home if she wanted, but he'd not allow for it. She may be 15 technically, but she was continuing her life from when she was six.   
  
Allen grudgingly returned to his room and sat down in his chair. No, Celena could not leave yet. It was just too dangerous for his baby sister to be on her own in the world yet.   
  
Celena woke at dawn, smiling as the first rays of sunlight felt warm on her face. She got up and dressed quickly in the gray pants from her closet and the sleeveless blue t-shirt. Allen hated the way she dressed she knew. She had worn dresses the first little while because she remembered wearing them as a child, and not her life in the military. Now that she remembered the last ten years however, wearing a dress just seemed so wrong. So instead she settled for trousers and a shirt.   
  
Celena left her room and wandered down to the main level of the Estate. She was not hungry, so instead of going to the kitchen, she walked quietly to the Eastern part, where the armory was. The weapons here were only for display; old swards and cross-bows and bows and arrows.   
  
She closed the door to the large room and locked it, then took a sward from the wall and removed it from its sheathe. This feels so right, to be holding a sward again. She held it out before her, in a training stance she had done so many times before. She moved in rhythm with the sward, sparring with an imaginary opponent. For half an hour she continued, until at last she stood breathing heavily, a thin layer of perspiration forming on her neck and forehead. She smiled and replaced the sward in its sheath. Then she put it back in its place on the wall, and left the room, heading out into the sunshine.   
  
Allen was still sleeping no doubt; he always stayed up late and slept in late in the morning. This suited Celena, for that gave her more time to wander the woods that surrounded the Estate before he woke. She started off at a jog, her training as a soldier allowing her to go for a long time without slowing. Eventually she came to a brook, and she stopped to kneel down beside it, splashing the cool water over her sweaty face, neck, and arms.   
  
--It's good to leave that godforsaken hell-hole behind--  
  
Celena jumped at the unexpected voice in her mind. It had been a few days since Dilandau had last spoken to her.   
  
"I'd leave more often, but you know my brother," she thought back, recovering from her surprise.   
  
--I despise that man...--  
  
Celena detected the hate and spite in his voice as he spoke of Allen.   
  
Celena continued to wash her face, and then she stood and waded across the water to the other side. She walked deeper and deeper into the woods, enjoying the peaceful calm that filled the atmosphere.   
  
--I've never seen the woods from this point of view before,--   
  
His voice was softer now, thoughtful. Silence.   
  
--Celena, could you do something for me?--  
  
Celena paused, not used to him asking her favors. She had spoken to him many times, but he had never asked anything of her before. "What is it you want?" she asked.   
  
--Do you remember them, the Dragon Slayers?-  
  
Celena did not need to reply, he knew that she did.   
  
--I've seen you draw, you're very good. Could you draw them for me? So that I can remember them always?--  
  
Celena felt pity rise from her heart. She knew the Slayers, just as well as he did. Therefore, she knew of the silent bond that had existed between them. For a moment, the thought of her brother finding the pictures if she drew them, and of him being angry. But the thought was quickly pushed away. Dilandau had lost everything; it was the least she could do for him.   
  
Celena returned to the Schezzar Estate at noon, and stealthily snuck through the door and along the halls until she came to her own room. There, she changed into a dress, brushed her hair, and headed downstairs for some lunch.   
  
She was jut heading toward the library when she met Allen in the corridor. "Celena, where have you been? I've been looking for you!"   
  
"I just went for a walk around the manor," she replied.   
  
"Why did you not tell me where you were going, it's not safe for you to be wandering alone."   
  
"I'm sorry brother, I just didn't want to wake you, that's all," she replied, bowing her head.   
  
"Don't do it again Celena. I want to know where you are at all times if you're going outside," Allen said. Had he been able to see her eyes, he would have probably seen them flash Crimson before returning to deep blue.   
  
--It's no concern of his. It's not like you're a baby, he doesn't need to hold your hand.--  
  
"Patience Dilandau. He is only concerned for our safety," she thought to him, as Allen walked down the hall and out of sight. Celena reached the library, and pushed open the large wooden doors. She found a stack of paper, and took out a pencil. Slowly, she began the first portrait.   
  
"What do you think?" she asked out loud.   
  
--It looks so real, like it could come to life--  
  
Celena smiled at the compliment. She had drawn a portrait of his closest Slayers all lounging around on a set of stairs. Migel, Chesta, Gatti, Guimel, Viole, Dalet. They were not in uniform, instead she had drawn them in the training clothes, the gray pants and white sleeveless shirts. She felt Dilandau's longing, and his sorrow at having lost his friends. "Hey, do you think..." she paused, not sensing his presence. Sighing, she left her question unfinished. He would sometimes retreat to the furthest recesses of her mind where even she couldn't reach him. But that didn't mean she couldn't hear him. His voice echoed through her mind every now and then, repeating one desperate cry;   
  
--don't leave me alone, don't leave me alone!--  
  
And although she knew he wasn't listening, she would whisper back, "You're not alone Dilandau. I'm here with you."   
  
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Well, I hope you liked it. Please review, flames are welcome too. If people seem interested, I'll keep writing it. Thanks for reading the first Chapter, Ja-Ne! 


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